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Monday, February 13, 2017

Full text: Trump and Trudeau release a joint statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2017
* *
*Joint Statement from President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau*
President
Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held their first
official meeting today in Washington, D.C. and affirmed their
longstanding commitment to close cooperation in addressing both the
challenges facing our two countries and problems around the world.
No
two countries share deeper or broader relations than Canada and the
United States. We are bound together by our history, our values, our
economy, our environment, and our resolve to improve the lives of our
citizens. Our close relationship and ongoing collaboration allow us to
successfully meet any challenges we may face over the coming years, and
to build a prosperous future for the people of both countries.
*Neighbors in Growing our Economies*
We
recognize our profound shared economic interests, and will work
tirelessly to provide growth and jobs for both countries. Canada is the
most important foreign market for thirty-five U.S. States, and more
than $2 billion in two-way trade flows across our shared border every
day. Millions of American and Canadian middle-class jobs, including in
the manufacturing sector, depend on our partnership. We affirm the
importance of building on this existing strong foundation for trade and
investment and further deepening our relationship, with the common goal
of strengthening the middle class.
The United States and Canada
also recognize the importance of cooperation to promote economic growth,
provide benefits to our consumers and businesses, and advance free and
fair trade. We will continue our dialogue on regulatory issues and
pursue shared regulatory outcomes that are business-friendly, reduce
costs, and increase economic efficiency without compromising health,
safety, and environmental standards. We will work together regarding
labor mobility in various economic sectors.
Given our shared
focus on infrastructure investments, we will encourage opportunities for
companies in both countries to create jobs through those investments.
In particular, we look forward to the expeditious completion of the
Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will serve as a vital economic
link between our two countries.
*Energy Security and Environment*
U.S.-Canada
energy and environmental cooperation are inextricably linked, and we
commit to further improving our ties in those areas. We have built the
world's largest energy trading relationship. We share the goals of
energy security, a robust and secure energy grid, and a strong and
resilient energy infrastructure that contributes to energy efficiency in
both countries. We collaborate closely on energy innovation,
particularly in the clean energy sphere. As the process continues for
the Keystone XL pipeline, we remain committed to moving forward on
energy infrastructure projects that will create jobs while respecting
the environment.
We also look forward to building on our many
areas of environmental cooperation, particularly along our border and at
the Great Lakes, and we will continue to work together to enhance the
quality of our air and water.
*Partners in Keeping our Border Secure*
We
recognize the security of our borders as a top priority. Together, we
address security at our shared border and throughout our two countries,
while expediting legitimate and vital cross-border trade and travel. We
demonstrate daily that security and efficiency go hand-in-hand, and we
are building a 21st century border through initiatives such as
pre-clearance of people and integrated cross-border law enforcement
operations. In addition, our two countries are committed to a
coordinated entry-exit information system so that records of land and
air entries into one country establish exit records for the other.
Recognizing
the success of pre-clearance operations for travelers, we commit to
establishing pre-clearance operations for cargo. We intend to
accelerate the completion of pre-clearance for additional cities and
continue to expand this program. Not only will these efforts enhance
efficiency at our shared border, they will also strengthen our shared
security. In the spirit of a more efficient and secure border, we will
also examine ways to further integrate our border operations, including
analysis of the feasibility of co-locating border officials in common
processing facilities.
Because we share a strong concern about
the increase in opioid-related deaths, our countries will work together
on common solutions to protect our people from opioid trafficking.
Given
the integrated nature of the infrastructure that supports our
intertwined economies, cyber threats to either country can affect the
other. We therefore commit to further cooperation to enhance critical
infrastructure security, cyber incident management, public awareness,
private sector engagement, and capacity building initiatives.
*Allies in the World*
We
are indispensable allies in the defense of North America and other
parts of the world, through NATO and other multilateral efforts. Our
troops have time and again fought together and sacrificed their lives
for our shared values. The North American Aerospace Defense Command
(NORAD) illustrates the strength of our mutual commitment. United
States and Canadian forces jointly conduct aerospace warning, aerospace
control, and maritime warning in defense of North America. We will work
to modernize and broaden our NORAD Partnership in these key domains, as
well as in cyber and space.
The United States welcomes Canada's
recently announced decision to launch an open and transparent
competition to replace its legacy fleet of CF-18 fighter aircraft. The
United States also welcomes Canada's decision to explore the immediate
acquisition of 18 new Super Hornet aircraft as an interim capability to
supplement the CF-18s until the permanent replacement is ready. Canada
appreciates the cooperation of the United States to facilitate these
processes.
The United States values Canada's military
contributions, including in the Global Coalition to Counter-ISIS and in
Latvia. Together, we are harnessing all elements of national power to
achieve the goal of degrading and destroying ISIS through our military
operations to deny it safe havens and to build the capacity of local
partners, stop the flow of foreign terrorist fighters into the Middle
East region, cut off access to financing and funding, counter the ISIS
narrative, and support the stabilization of communities liberated from
ISIS.
*Empowering Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders *
It
is a priority of both countries to ensure equal opportunities for women
in the workforce. We are committed to removing barriers to women's
participation in the business community and supporting women as they
advance through it. As part of this effort, we are creating a United
States-Canada Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and
Business Leaders. We expect this initiative to promote the growth of
women-owned enterprises and to further contribute to our overall
economic growth and competitiveness, as well as the enhanced integration
of our economies.
*The Way Forward*
We share a commitment
to continue to strengthen our ties for the benefit of our mutual
prosperity and security. We look forward to our cabinets following up on
today's meeting with further discussions in their respective areas of
responsibility. Our countries deserve our full commitment to increased
economic growth, which we will deliver. The partnership between the
United States and Canada will continue to be unique and a model for the
world.